A Story Of Indigenous Survival & Resurgence

Terry Gross interviews Julian Brave NoiseCat, author of "We Survived the Night," a memoir blending Indigenous history and personal narrative. NoiseCat discusses his father's traumatic origins as a survivor of the St. Joseph's Mission residential school system in Canada, where he was found as an infant in an incinerator. The conversation explores the intergenerational impact of these schools, the challenges of preserving Indigenous culture, NoiseCat's journey to reconnect with his heritage through language, powwow dancing, and fasting, and the complex relationship with his father, which was further explored in the documentary "Sugarcane." The discussion also touches on themes of cultural loss, survival, and the importance of storytelling in reclaiming Indigenous identity.